ericinbrooklyn

114k miles. Metallic clunking noise over rough roads, dealer diagnosed it as front and rear sway bar links. They replaced the links + bushings. Noise came back after 5 miles.

Car has been sitting at the dealer for 3 days and they still can't tell me what's wrong with it.

I'm hoping someone has had a similar issue?

JasonK

Clunking could be a couple things.

Could be

Engine mounts, end links, ball joints, outer tie rod or inner, bad strut mount... the list goes on. Would have to check the whole car over.

ericinbrooklyn

They've had my vehicle a total of 7 days (4 days to replace the links) and still can't figure it out.

Drei

iTrader: (2)

Keep us updated

JasonK

Lol sounds like you need to take it somewhere else. (My shop)

Honestly if it's pretty easy to hear the noise over a bump or train track whatever. I would've had the car diagnosed in 5-10 mins after a road test.

ericinbrooklyn

I wish you had a shop here in NY! They claim the noise is from aftermarket struts. They quoted me $1100 to replace the struts. Originally when I brought the car in I asked them to check the struts because that's where I believed the noise was from - they insisted then that everything was fine and the noise was the stabilizer links.

I found OEM strut assembly online for about $140 a side and i'll have a local shop install them. Are there any better aftermarket alternatives? I drive in NYC so I'm not looking for a drop.

Thanks!

JasonK

Fucking horse shit. Get the car out of there and take it to somewhere else. The only way a strut really clunks is if the strut mount, strut mount bolts or nuts are lose. Or maybe the main nut on the top of the strut mount is lose. It wouldn't require you to replace the whole strut.

Did they actually say strut or shock though? Is the shock visibly leaking? does the car nose dive when breaking hard? bouncy ride in general? I've never heard a bad strut clunk before unless it was completely fucked and that takes awhile before there's no resistance in it anymore.

Push on the hood of the car or trunk up and down and if the car stabilizes pretty quick the struts and shocks are good. If it bounces you might be able to reproduce the sound if its a lose strut mount or something to do with struts or shocks and springs.

ericinbrooklyn

I was hearing squeaking from the strut mount along with the clunking - when I brought the car in for service I specifically asked them to check the struts & mount because that's where I believed the noise was from.

They told me it was the front and rear links - they were wrong.

Assuming the car stabilizes quickly and the struts are good is it possible I only need to change the mounts? Or is it better to just change the entire assembly anyways?

JasonK

Yes you can change just the mount. If you want to spend the money I would do both sides. Don't just do the one side. But if nothing is wrong with the strut/shock then why do it. All they have to do is remove the shock out compress the spring undo the top bolt and change out the strut mount. Pretty simple. I wouldn't waste 600$ to do both when you don't need to. Because dealer might charge 2-3 hours a side sometimes.

ericinbrooklyn

I was thinking about changing it back to OEM since the previous owner had an aftermarket strut on. The car has 112k miles so I rather change everything once and be done with it for (hopefully) another 30-50k miles.

JasonK

Then yeah just switch back to OE I guess. You will need an alignment after also.

LNJ

Does it happen when there is more travel on the suspension like on a speed bump and dips in the road or just every irregular surface?
I had mine cluck when there was a bit of travel and it was a little rock on the top of the strut mount.

Crafty Veteran

I know exactly what you are going through but we were lucky enough to catch it still in the warranty period on our 2012 TL AWD SH. They have replaced everything in and around the strut 2-3 times and the sound came back almost immediately each time.

The dealer had our car for over a month (we had an MDX loaner which was awesome). They had the entire back seat taken apart and had 2 master techs looking over every inch. They were never able to determine exactly what was causing the sound, but they determined that it wasn't the struts and may have been coming from somewhere closer to the rear AWD train? They said there was a loose cable or wire.. They padded everything they could think of and put it all back together. We've only had the car back a few day so we haven't driven much. I'll update when I get a few more miles on her.

fsures

Also curious to know what they find/found.

ericinbrooklyn

Dealer wanted $1100 to change the front struts...

So I bought OEM strut assemblies online and had a local shop install them (and change the spark plugs - what a difference that makes!) Mechanic said everything looked solid suspension wise.

Car STILL makes clunking sound over bumps. Not as bad as before but its still there over rough roads.

So far the dealer has changed front and rear stabilizer links and bushings, local shop changed front strut assemblies.

Summer is coming and driving with the windows down and hearing this noise will drive me mad.

Anyone have any ideas? The dealership is clueless.

JasonK

Check to see if any of your engine mounts are ripped. There will be on on the left side of the engine and a front mount you can also see near the middle of the rad. Other mounts you would have to see with the car up in the air... maybe something on the exhaust is clunking? Rusted hanger or something.

As I said man it's hard to help you without actually seeing the car :|

EE4Life

Check out this TSB.

TSB 12-041 - Front Suspension Clunk in Hot Weather
Applies To: 2009-13 TL - ALL
http://www.urvi.net/forumfiles/SB/B12-041.PDF
http://techinfo.honda.com/Rjanisis/pubs/SB/B12-041.PDF